Kocharyan’s election campaign is based on promises to return Shusha and Hadrut

Baku/15.06.21/Turan: Ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharian, in his election campaign at the early parliamentary elections in 2021, stated that he could return Shusha and Hadrut to the Armenians if he wins the elections and raises the question of the independence of Karabakh.

How is he going to do it? To this question of Sputnik Armenia agency on June 15, Kocharian evasively answered that just decisions are needed for a long-term peace.

“It seems to me that it is still possible to come to an agreement on the former territory of the NKAO, on the borders by negotiations. Here we have a strong argumentation; it is linked to the nation's right to self-determination. I see certain prospects for negotiations,” he said.

When asked how he was going to persuade Baku to agree with this, Kocharian made it clear that he was counting on Russia's help. Negotiations on this can be in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group. "The role of Russia has become more dominant, and it occupies a leading position within the Minsk Group."

He admitted that during the war Russia could not openly take the side of Armenia. “From the point of view of Russian interests, the only correct step was to stop the war as soon as possible, and she tried to do this from the first days of the conflict. There were no good solutions for Russia here. "

When asked about the Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh, Kocharian expressed regret that their mandate was limited to 5 years. “It would be better if this mandate was unlimited, without specifying a timeframe. After 4.5 years, Azerbaijan has the right to notify Russia that they are against the continuation of the mandate of the peacekeepers. And Russia, according to this statement, will have to leave there,” he said and added that people cannot plan their future, including the authorities in Armenia and Karabakh itself. -02D-